Page 3 of God Touched

Imogen gripped her ax with both hands and laughed. "I knew you fuckers weren't all gone."

They both charged simultaneously, Imogen ducking and weaving, her ax dancing in the dusk light as it cut through two of the tentacles before they could grab her.

She might have been expecting to die every day, but she had no intention of seeing Arawan for the third time in a month. That humiliating thought made her work on the offensive.

The creature roared, its hard black beak appearing. Imogen swiped, hitting it with her ax. The blade glanced off it like the beak was made of stone. Imogen changed tactics and went for the tentacles. If it couldn't run away from her, she could figure out how to penetrate the hard shell and kill it.

Imogen lost herself in the fight, dodging the tentacles that tore through the sand around her. She cut off another three before the creature sounded a different kind of cry.

The sand underneath her shuddered, and Imogen's stomach turned watery. The sea bubbled offshore, and she knew she was about to be outnumbered.

Get out, call for backup.

There was only one small problem. The wounded horde creature was between her and her bike.

Imogen swore and then laughed and adjusted the grip on the ax. "What's death anyway? Fourth time's a charm."

Two more creatures rolled out of the depths and screeched their fury at her. Imogen yelled back and charged the wounded creature.

If she could get through it, she might get to her bike before the other two pulled themselves free. Imogen cut away another tentacle and aimed for what she thought was its head. Her ax bit deep into the fleshy underside of its shell. She pulled free just as she was hit from behind and sent rolling across the sand.

She landed hard on her side, the wet sand hurting like hell. She had managed to keep hold of her ax, and with a winded wheeze, she dragged herself up.

The other two creatures were up on the bank now, their large black eyes blinking at her, beaks clicking in irritation.

This was precisely the reason that they had rules about hunting alone. She hadn't even been hunting! Not really. Trouble just always found her.

"For fuck's sake," she muttered, lifting her ax once more.

Something silver flashed in the dying light, and a sword was suddenly protruding from the black shell of the wounded creature. It shuddered all over before collapsing into the sand.

"How the fuck…"

The sword whipped out like an unseen hand had grabbed the hilt and tore it free.

Imogen didn't have time to question it. Another creature was hurtling towards her. She hacked at the tentacles trying to take off her head. Something gripped her foot, and she went down, her skull smacking against the wet sand and causing black dots to darken her vision.

The tentacle held her firm, dragging her down the beach, kicking and screaming. The black beak appeared, and she knew she was about to be food.

Worst death so far, she thought morbidly. Then her survival instincts pushed adrenaline through her, and she shouted in fury, kicking out with all her might at the creature with her steel toe boots.

Black and silver whipped past her, and Imogen suddenly fell back on the sand. The creature tried to shoot back into the water as it fought the black smoke and shadows that surrounded it. Imogen's ears popped as some kind of magic went off in a silent detonation. The horde creature shriveled up, disintegrated into chunks of ash, and exploded all over the beach.

Imogen groaned, the cloudy sky spinning above her. Her head pounded, and her body felt weirdly light. She wondered if she had another concussion.

A pale face framed by long raven hair appeared above her, and the tip of a silver sword rested against her neck.

"Great, dead again," she muttered.

"Not quite," a deep, husky purr of a voice replied.

Oh, fuck it all to Hell.

The face came into focus, and Imogen suddenly wished she had been eaten by the Kraken. Big black eyes, sharp nose, lips that were way too sensual.

"Hello, darling," said Arawan, the god of the dead. His lips curled into a brilliant smile. "Or is it Miss Go Fuck Yourself?"

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